Taking instructions from a five year old....

Nothing makes a day complete like a bit of playdo.  Ellie was having so much fun today playing with all of her birthday presents.  There was Frozen happening in the TV room, Sophia the First in the dining room, Tinkerbell and the Fairies were in by the Piano and the Cinderella Playdo was on the dining room table.  The Barbies were up in the loft toy room.  The "American Girl" dolls were all over, visiting the various play areas.   Zeke was quite happy playing with the little people.  Anna just was happy to eat and sleep.  Ellie was quite happy to give me some playdo instructions.  She showed me exactly how to use all of the pieces of the Cinderella sets.  It is really amazing what you can do with playdo now.  It used to just be snakes and shapes.  Now you can actually create clothes and other amazing accessories and build an entire Cinderella scene. Wow, how things have changed.  The most amazing part of the playdo was that Ellie and Lia had learned how to use this set BEFORE Ellie got it for her birthday.  They found a YouTube channel for "Playdo" and watched the video for this set over and over.  So by the time she actually got it,  they knew exactly what to do with it.  You've gotta love the internet! 

Spending a day with the grandchildren is like just getting a little slice of their life.   I really don't know how Tim and Gwen do this day after day.  I know that once-upon-a-time I did that same kind of running around and rushing getting the kids off to school.   But that was for 2 kids - not 4. But they do a great job.  What struck me today, is how fast the kids are growing and changing.  Even when I see them every week, they seem more and more grown up.  So I loved it when a very "grown up" five year old Ellie, offered to show me how to use the playdo set.  And then she gave me step by step instructions on how to make an alien out of playdo.  (Apparently Lia had shown Ellie how to do this yesterday).  Needless to say, mine didn't turn out exactly like Ellie's, but she assured me it was just fine!

There is something about being the student rather than the teacher that is so freeing.  I did not have to worry about anything.  There were no lesson plans, no time restraints, no other kids to think about.  I loved that Ellie wanted to show me the video on the IPad so that I could see exactly what to do.  And I especially loved that it was just so much fun.

I think that it would be good for all adults to take a little bit of time to just play with a five year old.  And listen to a two year old tell you all about their day.  And hold a precious little baby.  And then hear all about the excitement of a 2nd grader who got a special award today for knowing all of her addition facts up to 10's!  It is a sure prescription for lowering your blood pressure, easing your stress and making you smile!

Jesus, thank you for family and fun.  Holy Spirit, thank you for speaking through little children and showing me the benefits of being the learner rather than the teacher.   Jesus help us all to take time to be a bit like children.   Give us the courage to let go of our adult mindset and the desire to experience life with the wonder of children.  Amen

I love my daily Bible readings......

My daily Bible readings today brought me to these verses.   I LOVE THESE VERSES from Zechariah 4 - especially verse number 6......"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty".

 

I just love that passage (and I am singing the old song in my head!).  There is so much comfort in knowing that we can't be strong enough, or powerful enough to do what needs to be done.  Only the Holy Spirit can accomplish the plans of Jesus.  That sure takes the pressure off of us, doesn't it?   Even the physical world - the mountains - are subject to the power of God. 

 

I was just talking with a good friend about how easily we can fall into the trap of trying to fix everyone.  We think we might know the best thing for our family members or friends.   We can even believe that we are responsible for saving people.   We take on the problems and situations of other people that are NOT ours to carry.   Even when we are praying for people sometimes we begin to feel that we fix their problems.  It should be no surprise that this happens.  Satan wanted to be God.  That was what got him thrown out of heaven.  And now he is laying the trap for us, that we can be like God and fix other people.  So we need to stop and think and consider who really has the power to change people.

 

I love that I got the reminder today that it is not OUR might or OUR power, but the Holy Spirit that can fix people and problems and even move mountains!  Yep, this is a good way to end this day and to begin a new week!

 

Jesus, thank you for the Bible.  For speaking to us through our friends and the things that happen in our day to day life.   Holy Spirit, it is your power and might that work in this world.  Thank you for caring and working and being the one who acts!  Remind us that we are NOT the fixer or the savior of people.  Thank Jesus that you are the Savior!  Amen



Birthday from the past....filled with gratitude

Today we celebrated Ellie's 5th birthday.  She had a wonderful party at a gymnastics and jump place with all of her friends.   It was so fun watching all of the kids running through the activities.  Zeke was certainly the most brave of all of the kids.  Even though he is only 2 years old, he climbed on the rope and swung out over the pit of foam blocks and let go!  Neither Lia or Ellie would do this!  Zeke is most assuredly all boy.  When I watched Ellie blow our her candles, I couldn't help but flash back to the day in this picture.  Because Doug and Ellie share a birthday, I suppose that is why I was thinking about this picture from Doug's 5th birthday in 1987.  (Yep, that's right, my "baby" is 32!)

If you look at the picture you will notice that Doug is in a hospital bed.  In fact, this was the last time that he was ever hospitalized.  In addition to his "normal" urinary problems, he had a severe case of scarlet fever.  During this hospital stay they "desensitized" him to a brand new medicine by giving him very small amounts gradually through his IV.  This long process, along with this "formulary" drug (which Doug took for the next 18 months) played a part in Doug's road to health.  Doug claims to not have any memory of this day, but Gwen remembers it well.  For me, the memory of this day is mostly that it was his LAST hospital stay! 

I am feeling so thankful tonight.  I know that Jesus is the one that brought Doug to total health.  While the medicine played a part in the process, it was ultimately Jesus that protected and worked in Doug.  When I look at my children and grandchildren, I am filled with gratitude.   What a blessing it is to see our kids and grand kids walking out their destiny.  As I have been doing this blog, I have looked at my ancestors.  I have seen how their prayers, their choices and their faith have impacted my life.  And today I was thinking about my future generations.  It is a privilege to know that my prayers can have an effect in the future.  What a powerful reminder to speak life into our family - present and future.  

Jesus, thank you for birthday celebrations, for good health, for family and friends.  Thank you for working in our generations.   Bless Ellie and Doug as they begin another new year of life.   Let them both draw closer to you in the next year.  Thank you for my past generations that sowed seeds of faith and life.  Bless my children, grandchildren and all my future generations with your presence and your peace.  Amen

Praying for a "pattern design" of my own......

My last post described a bit of the very challenging times I have been having at work.  Quite honestly, I have been having a bit of challenging times in ALL areas of my life lately.  I have felt a bit lost and without clear direction.  And I feel as if I can not get all the pieces of my life to fit together in a meaningful way.  Today I had the following revelation.........   It helps to know what the pattern design is when you are trying to fit the pieces together!

This afternoon I worked with one of those "challenging kids" at the table with the pattern blocks.  Usually it is difficult to get the most active kids to sit at the table long enough to finish the picture.  But this afternoon, this cute little boy, actually sat with me and figured out this entire picture of a fish.  He was SOOOOO proud when it was done.  It is really quite hard to place the pieces on the shining surface of the picture and get them to stay in place when you add additional pieces.  But he worked very slowly and carefully and completed the task.   Don't you just love that smile and shine in his eye! 

On the way home I was thinking about this picture. (I actually took this photo to show his mom since we had to clean up the blocks).  Wouldn't it be nice to have a picture like this when we are trying to make all the different parts of our life fit together?  I don't know what the picture on my design would be right now.  Is it a fish (the earliest symbol of a Christian)? Or how about a cross?  And isn't it interesting that this picture is actually also a fish?  Would that help me make sense of the lack of a clear direction that I have been feeling for some time? 

I know that the most important thing to me, is to grow in my relationship with Jesus.  So I guess that answers this question.  My pattern design just needs to be Jesus and making all the pieces of my life fit the Jesus design.  Some of the pieces of my life fit very nicely into that design without much trouble. Other pieces are more difficult.  And possibly I might have to remove some things that just won't fit at all. 

Lent is a good time to be doing this reflection.  First I think I'll be praying and asking for a clear "design" so that I know exactly what I am working towards.  And then I will be trusting the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom and direction as I work on fitting everything into whatever that design is. 

Jesus, thank you for who you are.  It is amazing to me that you love us so much.   Thank you for this special time of Lent when we can step back and evaluate our relationship with you.   Holy Spirit, thank you for using pattern blocks and challenging little boys to remind me that I am sometimes challenging to you.  What a gift it is to know you are patient with us.  Help all of us to remember that we need to find our design to make things in our life fit.  Amen

Refresher course of the wisdom of Kindergarten

I've been thinking a lot about Kindergarten this week.  The pictures above are me, Gwen and Doug in Kindergarten.  It is Ellie's birthday on Thursday and Gwen will soon be registering her for Kindergarten next year.  There are also some kids that I work with everyday that are turning 5 and talking about Kindergarten.  Remember that book "All I really need to Know I learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum?   Here is an excerpt from that book............

1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don't hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS.
6. Don't take things that aren't yours.
7. Say you're SORRY when you HURT somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life - learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Stryrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamster and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Even though I work mostly with kids that are 3 and 4 years old, my days are filled with teaching numbers 1-12 from that list above ALL DAY!   I guess that it must take a few years to really learn these key things.   And today was not much different than many other days.  It was CHALLENGING!  We have quite a few very active boys (actually there are 17 boys and 6 girls registered in the class).  There have been many kids who are feeling a bit under the weather and this adds to the challenge.  Additionally there are a couple of boys that are just (choosing my words carefully here) difficult!  It's hard to not feel kind of bad when you just can't get through to these kids!  It's hard to not take it personally and wonder what you are doing wrong.  There is one particular boy that spent almost more time in "time out" today than he did playing!  Let's just say that he has NOT learned numbers 1- 7 AT ALL!  

Part of what makes my day so hard is that I have to keep my faith "under wraps" so to speak.  It would be much easier to teach these basic principals when you include Jesus and the Bible.  I certainly do a whole lot of praying (silently!) and asking for wisdom (silently!).  So often I would like to just reach out and pray for a child.  As I go around and pat backs during nap time, I am praying for each of these kids.  But still the day is very frustrating! 

I remember Kindergarten very clearly.   I did not want to go and I was not happy with my mom leaving me there!  Needless to say, I got over that and quickly learned to love school.   Gwen had no trouble going to Kindergarten.  She marched right up to the principal on the second day of school to report problems on the bus!  On the first day of school Gwen had listened carefully when the principal had said that the students could go to him with any problem.   So she did!  Doug did not want to get on that bus for the first day of school.  But he did!  I am not sure that we learned those 16 points in school.  I hope that Gwen and Doug learned most of these things at home.  Don't you think it would be a good idea for ALL of us to review this list and actually start using them in our everyday life? 

So I will remind myself that my job is important since these kids I am with every day need to learn these important rules of life.  I am thankful that I have been given the opportunity to impact these little ones.  I will continue to pray for them and their families and I will remind myself that they have a couple more years until they are in Kindergarten!

Jesus, thank you for the place that you have me right now.  Holy Spirit, show me ways to reach and teach and touch these kids.  Give me wisdom and grace to walk through each day.   Thank you Jesus for your love and your peace.  Amen

Just a pair of boots............

Yep, this is just a pair of boots.  My boots.  Way back in 2009, after I had just taken a job as a full time nanny, I bought these boots.  My thoughts were that I should have boots if I needed to be outside with the children.  Prior to these boots, I don't remember the last pair of boots that I had.  Well, I never wore these boots during the 4 years that I worked as a nanny.  Then came this year!   I am not sure how many times I have had these boots on this year, but I know that it is way more than I wanted!

When I pulled these boots out of the closet in early December, they were like brand new.  That is because they might as well have been new, since I never wore them.  I was so thankful that I had these boots at the back of my closet.  Since that first early snowfall, they have kept my feet warm and dry through this really horrible winter.  Here it is, the beginning of March, and I put these trusty boots on this morning to help Ken snow blow the  6" of snow we got overnight.  Enough is Enough!!!! 

I was thinking about these boots.  They have just sat, unused for 4 years.  But then they became very, very important.  In a way, these were like an "insurance policy".  The boots were for "just in case" I needed them.  For some people, their faith is that kind of thing.....kept hidden away, in the back of their life, like an insurance policy, just in case they ever have a crisis and need it.   I remember when I had that kind of faith.   I am so thankful that I have grown and learned how to better LIVE my faith.  To take it out of the closet, actually put it to use, and even see it grow and gain strength. 

Yesterday it was such a treat for Ken and I to have some "one on one" time with Ellie.  She asked to ride with us from the church back to their house after Anna's baptism.  She talked for the entire trip!  Most of the conversation had to do with her upcoming birthday.  Next week she will be 5 years old.  Then the conversation turned to her favorite books and what her daddy read to her each night.  She told me that the Bible was her favorite book.  And when I asked her what story about Jesus was her favorite, she said "Jesus said let the little children come to me".  I asked her why that was her favorite.  She thought a moment and then said, "well its just not the adults and Jesus".   I loved that response.  She already "gets it"!  Jesus is for everyone - even the kids!   What a joy it is to see Ellie and Lia and Zeke (and someday Anna) growing up with their faith, OUT of the closet.  It is a reminder to me, to be willing to show my faith.  To put it to use.  Most importantly, to remember that growing my relationship with Jesus is the key. 

Jesus, thank you for speaking so clearly to me through Ellie and my boots.  Holy Spirit thank you for reminding me how important it is to show my faith.   Give us all courage and boldness to live our faith every day.  Thank you for Ellie and her trust in you.  Continue to give all parents wisdom and knowledge as they seek to raise their children to know and love Jesus.   Amen

A really special day.......God Bless Anna!

 

Today was Anna's baptism.  It was a wonderful family and friends event.  Anna was just amazing.  I don't think anyone heard her cry during the entire 3 hour event.  She was passed around and cuddled and jostled this way and that.   There were a bunch of kids (15 I think) running around, playing, shouting, laughing, and sometimes crying.  And Anna didn't even seem to notice.  She slept in the arms that she happened to find herself.  Every time I looked at her, I thought about Gwen.  She looks very much like her mama! 

This picture of Gwen was on the day we came home from the hospital.  I thought that Lia looked a lot like Gwen, but I think Anna even looks more like her.   Confession here -  I called Lia "Gwen" more than one time today.  (I think I AM turning into my mother!) So I expect that will be happening in the future with Anna also.

Gwen and her friend Kyle sang the song "Remember Me" to begin the Baptismal service.  I just love the words to this song.  I believe that this is the same song that was sung at each of the kid's baptisms.  So much of this special event is about remembering.  I love that any time I attend a baptism I think about my children's baptism and also my own baptism.  And I think about exactly what God does in baptism. What an amazing gift we receive as we are welcomed into the family of God and receive the Holy Spirit.    Here are the lyrics of the song..... "Remember Me". 

 

Remember me   In a Bible cracked and faded by the years
Remember me   In a sanctuary filled with silent prayers

 

And age to age   And heart to heart
Bound by grace and peace
Child of wonder, Child of God
I'll remember you   Remember Me

 

Remember me   When the color of the sunset fills the sky
Remember me   When you pray and the tears of joy
fall from your eyes

 

Remember me   When the children leave their Sunday school with smiles
Remember me   When they're old enough to teach
Old enough to preach  Old enough to leave

 

Age to age and heart to heart
Child of wonder child of God

Remember me

Age to age and heart to heart
Child of wonder child of God

 

 

What a special day with family and friends.  I feel so blessed tonight.  I love that we can remember and celebrate the gift of baptism.  God bless Annaleigh Ellen Johnson, child of God!